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Livingston County, Kentucky facts for kids

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Livingston County
Livingston County Courthouse in Smithland
Livingston County Courthouse in Smithland
Map of Kentucky highlighting Livingston County
Location within the U.S. state of Kentucky
Map of the United States highlighting Kentucky
Kentucky's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Kentucky
Founded 1798
Named for Robert R. Livingston
Seat Smithland
Largest community Ledbetter
Area
 • Total 342 sq mi (890 km2)
 • Land 313 sq mi (810 km2)
 • Water 29 sq mi (80 km2)  8.5%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 8,888
 • Estimate 
(2023)
8,892 Increase
 • Density 25.99/sq mi (10.034/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 1st

Livingston County is a place in the state of Kentucky, in the United States. It is called a county. In 2020, about 8,888 people lived here.

The main town, or county seat, is Smithland. The biggest community is Ledbetter.

Livingston County was created in 1798. It was named after Robert R. Livingston, who helped write the U.S. Declaration of Independence. During the American Civil War, many people in the county supported the Confederate side.

Today, Livingston County is part of the larger Paducah area. Most of the county has rules against selling alcohol, but the town of Grand Rivers changed its rules in 2016 to allow sales.

A Look at Livingston County's Past

Livingston County was formed in 1798. It was created from a part of Christian County. The county got its name from Robert R. Livingston. He was an important person who helped create the U.S. Declaration of Independence.

During the American Civil War, which was fought from 1861 to 1865, many people in Livingston County chose to support the Southern states. Many men from the county joined the Confederate Army.

Where is Livingston County?

Livingston County covers about 342 square miles. Most of this area is land, about 313 square miles. The rest, about 29 square miles, is water.

The Ohio River forms the western edge of the county. This river also creates the border with the state of Illinois.

Nearby Counties

Livingston County shares its borders with several other counties:

Main Roads

Several important roads run through Livingston County. These roads help people travel and connect different communities.

  • U.S. Route 60
  • U.S. Route 62
  • Interstate 24
  • Interstate 69
  • Kentucky Route 453

People of Livingston County

Historical population
Census Pop.
1800 2,856
1810 3,674 28.6%
1820 5,824 58.5%
1830 5,971 2.5%
1840 9,025 51.1%
1850 6,578 −27.1%
1860 7,213 9.7%
1870 8,200 13.7%
1880 9,165 11.8%
1890 9,474 3.4%
1900 11,354 19.8%
1910 10,627 −6.4%
1920 9,732 −8.4%
1930 8,608 −11.5%
1940 9,127 6.0%
1950 7,184 −21.3%
1960 7,029 −2.2%
1970 7,596 8.1%
1980 9,219 21.4%
1990 9,062 −1.7%
2000 9,804 8.2%
2010 9,519 −2.9%
2020 8,888 −6.6%
2023 (est.) 8,892 −6.6%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790-1960 1900-1990
1990-2000 2010-2021

In 2010, about 9,519 people lived in Livingston County. The county had about 31 people per square mile. Most people living here were White.

The average age of people in the county was 40 years old. About 22% of the population was under 18 years old.

Towns and Communities

Livingston County has several towns and smaller communities.

Cities

Census-Designated Places

These are areas that are like towns but are not officially incorporated as cities.

Other Small Communities

North Livingston

South Livingston

  • Cooper Landing
  • Heater
  • Iuka
  • Lake City
  • Newbern
  • Pinckneyville
  • Stanley Landing
  • Tiline
  • Vicksburg

Old Town

  • Berry Ferry (This used to be a town but is no longer populated.)

Famous People from Livingston County

  • Andrew Jackson Smith (1843–1932): He was a soldier in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his brave actions in a battle.
  • James Ford (1775–1833): He was a businessman and leader in the community. Later, it was found that he was secretly involved with a group of river pirates and robbers in the early 1800s.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Livingston (Kentucky) para niños

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